Stress path and steady state

1990 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. P. Vaid ◽  
E. K. F. Chung ◽  
R. H. Kuerbis

The effect of stress path on the steady state line of a liquefiable sand is investigated. Results from undrained triaxial compression and extension tests on water-deposited sands show that the steady state line of a given sand, though unique in the effective stress space, is not so in the void ratio – effective stress space. The sand is contractive over a much larger range of void ratios in extension than in compression. While a single steady state line emerges for compression loading, extension loading yields several lines, each characteristic to a given deposition void ratio. All these extension lines lie to the left of the compression line in void ratio – effective stress space. Thus at a given void ratio, steady state strength is smaller in extension than in compression, the difference increasing as the sand becomes looser. The implications of the results are discussed in relation to practical design. Key words: sand, liquefaction, steady state, stress path.

1993 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
pp. 569-577 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Sasitharan ◽  
P.K. Robertson ◽  
D.C. Sego ◽  
N.R. Morgenstern

Loose cohesionless materials can collapse during either static or dynamic loading, resulting in a rapid buildup of pore pressure and associated reduction in shear resistance. As the cohesionless material collapses, it rapidly looses resistance until the acting shear stress decreases to the available residual or steady-state strength. Specially designed stress-path testing has been performed on sand to investigate this collapse process. Results from this test program and previously published data show that a state boundary can be defined when a cohesionless material moves from peak to steady state along a constant void ratio stress path regardless of whether it is loaded drained or undrained. Further, it is demonstrated that the state boundary represents a surface in the effective mean normal stress–deviator stress–void ratio space. Hence, flow slides and liquefaction can be initiated when the stress path followed during either drained or undrained loading attempts to cross this state boundary surface. Key wordy : sand, collapse, liquefaction, stress path, state boundary, triaxial test.


2011 ◽  
Vol 250-253 ◽  
pp. 2089-2092
Author(s):  
Rong Jian Li ◽  
Xi An Li ◽  
Gao Feng Che ◽  
Wen Zheng ◽  
Wen Jun Chen

Stress path is one of the very important factors of soil strength. It is significant to study the strength and reveal the importance of the impact of sand in different stress path conditions. Firstly, an ameliorating approach on implementing for the reduced triaxial extension by the conventional triaxial apparatus was discussed. Then, In order to study shear behaviors of the eolian sand under different stress path, two monotonic shearing tests with the conventional triaxial compression and the reduced triaxial extension stress path were performed and analyzed. The test results not only indicate that the amelioration on conventional triaxial apparatus is simple, practicable and inexpensive, but also reveal the difference of strength’s parameter between the reduced triaxial extension and conventional triaxial compression stress path. In sum, the stress path has important effect on the strength of the eolian sand.


2008 ◽  
Vol 45 (7) ◽  
pp. 939-956 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. R. Thomson ◽  
R. C.K. Wong

X-ray computed tomography (CT) methods and specialized triaxial equipment were developed to quantify void ratio distribution within saturated sand specimens reconstituted by water pluviation and moist tamping methods during undrained triaxial compression and extension. The CT measurements were obtained at several points along the stress path of each specimen without significant removal of axial load. It was observed that two reconstitution methods yielded very different void ratio distributions within specimens. Significant void ratio redistribution occurred within each specimen during the undrained shearing tests. The influences of void ratio redistribution on globally observed specimen responses are discussed. The findings of this research investigation provide unique insight into fundamental aspects of saturated sand behaviour during undrained triaxial shearing.


1998 ◽  
Vol 35 (6) ◽  
pp. 1053-1062 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y P Vaid ◽  
A Eliadorani

An experimental investigation of the initiation of instability (liquefaction) in saturated sand under partially drained conditions is presented. The domain of stress space in which this instability develops is identified under various degrees of drainage, and its relationship to the zone of instability observed under undrained shear is explored. It is shown that partially drained conditions may render sand unstable that would otherwise be stable in a completely undrained state. Extremely small void ratio increases that cannot be regarded as physical loosening of sand, if sand is partially drained, contribute to instability. Implications of the findings are discussed in practical problems of liquefaction.Key words: sand, liquefaction, undrained, partially drained, instability, triaxial test.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-21
Author(s):  
Dongjie Zhang ◽  
Fei Luo ◽  
Zhanyuan Zhu ◽  
Jiaming Liu ◽  
Jing Li ◽  
...  

To investigate the strength and deformation characteristics of gravelly sand on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau under different stress paths, a series of triaxial shear tests was conducted under confining pressures of 50–400 kPa in four types of stress path conditions of conventional triaxial compression (CTC) (drained and undrained), triaxial compression (TC), and reduced triaxial compression (RTC). We can see from the test results that gravelly sand samples show strain hardening and shear contraction under the CTC (drained), TC, and RTC during the shearing process but exhibit strain softening under the CTC (undrained). To explore the microscopic deformation mechanism of gravelly sand, a characteristic angle θ was defined to reflect the relative movement of soil particles. The relationship between principal stress ratio σ1/σ3 and characteristic angle θ and that between void ratio e and characteristic angle θ were derived. Subsequently, the relationship expression of stress ratio η (q/p) and void ratio e was established, and the trend of void ratio e with the stress path was studied. To describe the strain hardening and strain softening characteristics of gravelly sand in different stress paths, a new dilatancy equation was obtained by introducing the characteristic state stress ratio Mc into the dilatancy equation of the modified Cam-Clay model based on the state-dependent dilatancy theory. Finally, an elastoplastic constitutive model of gravelly sand was established by applying a nonassociate flow rule. All model parameters can be determined by triaxial shear tests under different stress paths, and the comparison results show that the proposed model can well reflect the mechanical behaviors of gravelly sand under different stress paths.


2000 ◽  
Vol 37 (5) ◽  
pp. 1126-1130 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y P Vaid ◽  
A Eliadorani

The deformation response of saturated soils to a total stress increment at the ambient void ratio and effective stress state is shown to be dependent on the direction of the effective strain increment. It is argued that in a given field problem, most soil elements neither deform fully drained nor undrained, but do so partially drained. The degree of partial drainage controls the direction of the effective stress increment and hence the deformation response. Experimental data are presented which demonstrate how shear stiffness changes with the direction of effective stress increment as a function of the ambient effective stress state.Key words: stress-strain, undrained, drained, partially drained, stress path, stiffness.


2005 ◽  
Vol 42 (3) ◽  
pp. 892-906 ◽  
Author(s):  
A B Fourie ◽  
L Tshabalala

The potential for static liquefaction of hydraulically placed sands and silts is now well recognised. A particular category of this type of operation, tailings disposal facilities constructed using the upstream method, has come under increased scrutiny due to the large number of failures of these structures. Although the conditions that render a particular deposit susceptible to potential liquefaction are now well known, being a combination of void ratio and mean effective stress that places the material state above its steady state value, the same cannot be said about our ability to predict the stresses at which liquefaction will be initiated. The concept of a collapse surface, derived from the locus of peak shear stress values from undrained compression tests on isotropically consolidated specimens, attempts to provide a method for predicting the onset of liquefaction. As confirmed in this paper, however, application of the collapse surface concept to actual tailings dam facilities results in factors of safety based on an effective stress approach that are significantly less than unity for facilities that have not failed. On the other hand, shear strength values derived from ultimate state conditions are unconservative, predicting factors of safety significantly in excess of unity for facilities that have failed. A comparison of monotonic undrained triaxial compression tests on both isotropically- and K0-consolidated specimens of gold tailings suggests that the resolution to this dilemma lies in the recognition that a kinematic yield surface, which is a function of the consolidation stress path followed, develops in stress space. The collapse surface derived from undrained loading of K0-consolidated loose specimens is shown to provide a greatly improved capacity for predicting the onset of liquefaction under undrained loading conditions.Key words: static liquefaction, tailings, collapse surface, anisotropic.


2006 ◽  
Vol 43 (11) ◽  
pp. 1195-1212 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zeina Finge ◽  
Thiep Doanh ◽  
Phillippe Dubujet

The undrained behaviour of loose and overconsolidated Hostun RF sand in triaxial compression and extension tests is described. The samples are isotropically or anisotropically overconsolidated along several constant effective stress ratio paths with various overconsolidation ratios (OCR), up to 24. To minimize the effect of variation of density on the observed undrained behaviour, all tested samples are required to have a nearly identical void ratio before the final monotonic undrained shearing. Isotropically overconsolidated and normally consolidated samples exhibit the same phenomenon of partial static liquefaction, but anisotropically overconsolidated specimens reveal a completely different undrained behaviour. A common pseudoelastic response is observed for a given overconsolidation history. This response is induced by recent stress history in terms of effective stress paths, independent of the OCR during overconsolidation. The initial gradient of the effective stress paths seems to depend solely on the direction of the previous linear stress path history. This paper offers a comprehensive understanding of the mechanism of the induced anisotropy of loose sand created by simple linear stress paths from three different initial stress states in the classical triaxial plane. The pseudoelastic response can be adequately modelled by a simple hyperelastic component of the elastoplastic framework.Key words: induced anisotropy, overconsolidation, instability, laboratory undrained tests, sand, hyperelasticity.


1991 ◽  
Vol 28 (4) ◽  
pp. 601-612 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jean-Marie Konrad

Back-analyses of recent large-scale slides during the hydraulic placement of an articial sand island at the Nerlerk site (Beaufort Sea) using different methods have resulted in contradictory conclusions with respect to the state of the fill. All the interpretation methods assume a unique relationship between steady-state strength and void ratio. This assumption is, however, not verified, since steady-state strength depends also on effective confining stress. This paper presents the results of a back-analysis at the Nerlerk site using a modified concept proposed by the author which isbased on nonunique values of steady-state strength for a given sand. It is established that the density conditions at Nerlerk, on average at a relative density of about 40%, and the initial stress conditions are conducive to strain softening, with a steady-state strength corresponding to the minimum strength defined by the LF line. For Nerlerk sand,the minimum undrained strength is about 18% of the steady-state strength determined with conventional methods using high confining stresses. The Nerlerk berm failures were thus "liquefaction" slides induced most likely by progressive straining. Key words: sand, undrained, strength, steady state, hydraulic fill.


1998 ◽  
Vol 35 (2) ◽  
pp. 273-283 ◽  
Author(s):  
M Uthayakumar ◽  
Y P Vaid

A fundamental study of the undrained behaviour of sands under multiaxial loading is presented. The investigation was carried out using Fraser River and Syncrude sands in a hollow cylinder torsional shear device. Shear loading was carried out under strain control to capture the postpeak strain-softening characteristics of loose sands. It is shown that the undrained response of loose sands is highly dependent on the loading direction. The friction angle mobilized at phase transformation and steady state is a unique material property, independent of the mode of loading, direction of principal stress and initial consolidation stress, and void ratio state. There is no unique relationship between steady state strength and void ratio which is independent of stress path and the level of initial confining stress.Key words: anisotropy, hollow cylinder torsional shear, liquefaction, sand, simple shear, triaxial.


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